Publications : 2022

Buetow BS, Cappon GD, Aschenbrenner L/M, Updyke L, Torti VR, Evans M, et al. 2022. Regulatory experience assessing the carcinogenic potential of a monoclonal antibody inhibiting PCSK9, Bococizumab, including a 2-year carcinogenicity study in rats. Int J Toxicol 5:389–401, DOI: 10.1177/10915818221106397, online article.

Abstract

Bococizumab is an anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody that was intended for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. After reviewing the 6-month rat toxicity study data, in which there was a low spontaneous tumor incidence, unrelated to bococizumab administration, the U.S. FDA granted a carcinogenicity waiver request based on a weight-of-evidence assessment of low carcinogenic risk. Subsequently, after reviewing 6-month rat toxicity study data from another anti-PCSK9 antibody, RN317, with a similar low tumor incidence (unrelated to RN317), the U.S. FDA rescinded the bococizumab carcinogenicity study waiver and requested a full 2-year rat carcinogenicity study be conducted. The resulting 2-year carcinogenicity study demonstrated no bococizumab-related increase in tumors, confirming the weight-of-evidence evaluation and alleviating concerns regarding the carcinogenic potential. Here we report the scientific and regulatory background that led to the request for a rat carcinogenicity study, the feedback on the design of the carcinogenicity study, and the results from this study which affirmed the original weight-of-evidence assessment of low carcinogenic risk. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10915818221106397?journalCode=ijtb